In February it was announced that Rhys Archer, a PhD student in the School of Materials, had been shortlisted as a finalist for the first English Women’s Awards (North) for her services to science and technology for the Women of Science campaign that she has created.

Rhys’ Women of Science campaign shares photo stories of women in and around Manchester who work in science and engineering. Its aim is to both raise the profile of women working in these areas and inspire schoolchildren to consider this path into higher education and beyond.

Since its launch, the campaign has grown massively. This was particularly apparent at Bluedot Festival, where gig-goers could follow a trail around Jodrell Bank to find photos of women in STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths). Rhys also held a photography exhibition at the Manchester Science Festival and asked visitors questions like ‘what does science mean to you?’ and ‘what does a scientist look like?’.

This last question is particularly poignant; while nearly half (47%) of the UK’s workforce are female, women account for just 13% of the STEM workforce. In engineering the numbers are even lower – women make up just 9% of the UK’s engineering workforce.

Rhys’s campaign was highly commended at the Faculty of Science and Engineering’s Better World Showcase in February and has been shortlisted in the widening participation category at the University’s Making a Difference Awards, taking place on 1 May.

Read the full blog and interview with Rhys on the Science and Engineering Hub.

Follow the Women of Science campaign on Twitter